Bishop Browning Inducted As Bishop of Hawaii
Episcopal News Service. August 9, 1976 [76269]
The Rev. Canon James G. Long
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Bishops, priests and laity from Europe, Asia and the Mainland of the United States participated Sunday, August 1, in the enthronement of the Rt. Rev. Edmond Lee Browning as the new Bishop of Hawaii.
The colorful service in a jammed St. Andrew's Cathedral, Honolulu, combined the splendor of the Church's historic liturgy with emphasis on the Hawaiian nature of the ceremony.
The new Bishop was installed by the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, who also preached the sermon.
The Holy Gospel was read in Hawaiian by the Rev. Canon Charles G.K. Hopkins of Honolulu, and in English by the Rt. Rev. Harold C. Gosnell of West Texas.
The Rt. Rev. Furman C. Stough, Bishop of Alabama, was the litanist.
The service included the singing in Hawaiian of "The Queen's Prayer," written by Queen Liliuokaiani.
As a final act of the day the new Bishop of Hawaii pronounced a blessing on the city and state from the great porch of the Cathedral.
A Hawaiian reception followed on the Cathedral grounds.
Civic and religious leaders of the Honolulu Community participated in the procession, including the Buddhist and Jewish faiths.
Other bishops participating in the service were the Rt. Rev. Matthew Bigliardi, Oregon; the Rt. Rev. Victor Rivera, San Joaquin; the Rt. Rev. Paul Nakamura, Okinawa; the Rt. Rev. John N. Watanabe, Hokkaido; the Most Rev. Macario Ga, Philippine Independent Church.
The Rev. William Woodhams and the Rev. Fred McDonald came from Europe.
Bishop Browning succeeds the late Rt. Rev. E. Lani Hanchett who died of cancer on August 11, 1975. He was elected to the Hawaiian Bishopric on May 1, 1976, at a special convention which was held following an extensive eight-month search for a successor to Bishop Hanchett. Forty-one candidates were considered.
Forty-seven year old Bishop Browning, a native of Texas, was elected Bishop of Okinawa at General Convention 1967, and also served as Bishop-in-Charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe.
He was serving as Executive for National and World Mission, Executive Council staff, when chosen for the Hawaiian See.
He is married to the former Patricia Spanks and they have five children.